QQQ vs VOO: Which Should You Buy?
0.03% vs 0.18% fee.
Over the period we can measure, QQQ has returned about 5.4% a year more and overlap about 54% by weight. Pick QQQ for the tighter 102-holding portfolio; pick VOO to own 505 instead. VOO is the cheaper of the two at 0.03% against 0.18%.
This is purely for informational purposes, not investment advice. Always consult a professional before making investment decisions.
QQQ wins if...
You want the tighter portfolio: 102 holdings rather than 505, tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index.
VOO wins if...
You want maximum diversification: 505 holdings covering the broader market, tracking the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, at a lower 0.03% fee.
QQQ vs VOO, side by side
The numbers that actually differ are highlighted.
| Metric | QQQInvesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 | VOOVanguard S&P 500 ETF |
|---|---|---|
| Index tracked | NASDAQ-100 Index | Standard & Poor's 500 Index |
| Number of holdings | 102 | 505 |
| Expense ratio | 0.18% | 0.03% |
| Dividend yield | 0.42% | 1.05% |
| AUM | $475.29B | $1.80T |
| Top 10 concentration | 47.6% | 37.8% |
| 10-yr total return | 20.8% | 15.4% |
| 5-yr total return | 15.2% | 13.5% |
| Beta (vs S&P 500) | 1.23 | 1.01 |
| Max drawdown (10yr) | -35.1% | -34.0% |
| Market-cap coverage | Large cap | Large cap |
| Inception | 1999 | 2010 |
QQQ holds 102 positions tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. VOO holds 505, a broader slice of the same market.
How much do QQQ and VOO overlap?
The single most decision-relevant fact, and the one most comparisons skip.
- Shared
- 54.3%
- VOO-only
- 45.9%
~54% identical by weight
86 weighted positions appear in both funds, and by weight about 54% of the two portfolios is the same exposure. Where a stock sits in both, the shared share is whichever weight is smaller. That is the part of a dollar that behaves identically in either fund.
The difference is VOO's remaining 403 positions, which QQQ does not hold at all. They are smaller by weight, which is why the two track each other closely and drift apart only at the margins.
Growth of $10,000: QQQ vs VOO
Growth of $10,000
10 years
Which should you choose?
- You want concentrated exposure: 102 holdings, not 505
- You want to track the NASDAQ-100 Index
- You want the wider net: 505 holdings against 102
- You want to track the Standard & Poor's 500 Index
- You want the lower fee: 0.03% against 0.18%
- You want the higher yield: 1.05% against 0.42%
Compare and track all ETFs in your sheet
Type =WISE("QQQ","dividend yield","ttm") or =WISEFUNDS("QQQ","expense ratio") in Excel or Google Sheets and the fund's data lands in your sheet, ready to be refreshed when you want.
Get The Add-in - FreeQQQ vs VOO frequently asked questions
QQQ has the stronger record, by about 5.4% a year and they overlap roughly 54% by weight. Compare the fee and the holdings count below and pick the one that matches how broad you want the exposure to be.
QQQ holds 102 positions tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. VOO holds 505, a broader slice of the same market.
Yes, by about 54% by weight. 86 weighted positions appear in both funds. Because the largest positions dominate both portfolios, the two behave similarly day to day.
Yes. At about 54% overlap the two hold substantially different positions, so holding both does broaden the exposure.